
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, April 30, 1994                   TAG: 9405020159
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HORSESENSE: GAME OF THE NAME

The Lone Ranger had Silver, Roy Rogers had Trigger and Alex had The Black Stallion. The Roanoke City Mounted Patrol Unit, already high in the saddle, can have no such famous partnerships. Although the riders have names, the three horses don't.

The "Name That Horse" contest's "mane" purpose is to solve that unfortunate "tail."

Conducted by the Roanoke Foundation for Downtown, Inc. and Downtown Roanoke, Inc., the contest begins today and continues through June 14. A coupon book, available for $1, includes an entry form and more than $50 worth of savings on Domino's Pizza products.

Coupon books are available at Domino's Pizza shops and at selected downtown events. All proceeds of coupon book sales benefit the Mounted Patrol Unit.

Local celebrity judges have been given free rein to select winners, who will be announced in Market Square on July 9. Winners will receive free feed in the form of a Domino's pizza or sub every two weeks for a year.

Cable Rep Advertising, a related company of Cox Cable Roanoke, Inc., and 96.3 WROV are providing free air time to promote the contest.

What have the police officers been calling their steeds in the meantime? "Never late for dinner," Officer A.J. Wright said. His Tennessee Walking Horse responds to anything as long as it's food. Perhaps a stable name will serve as a substitute.

Horsefeathers, you say?

The police department called Officer E.J. Pendleton's thoroughbred/quarterhorse "Covar," though the reason is unknown to the horse. And Officer John Loope's Pinto has been called, naturally, "Beans."

"We want residents of this area to be a part of this process," Loope said. "There's been lots of interest in the horses already."

Joe Wright, president of the Roanoke Foundation for Downtown and chairman of the Mounted Patrol Steering Committee, hopes the contest will help to raise the $15,000-$17,000 needed for operating costs through June, 1995.

And that ain't hay!

by CNB